


Where I Rest My Weary Head

by afteriwake



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/F, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2015-08-23
Packaged: 2018-04-16 20:35:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4639290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s been a very long day for Anthea, and she decides to pay Irene a visit to relax.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where I Rest My Weary Head

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sumi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sumi/gifts).



> And here it is, the last fic for my “Thirteen Fluffy Fics With Thirteen Ships” challenge! There were probably a ton of more ships I could have written, but I greatly enjoyed challenging myself. This is my first time writing this particular ship, and I'm glad to say it was inspired by a prompt from **Sumi** that was part of the 2015 Summer Holmestice round ( _Irene is always there when Anthea needs a break. She has a very stressful job, you know_ ). Anyway, I hope all of you enjoy this!

It had been a long, grueling day. Meeting after meeting, harassment from the Greek embassy, a rather cheeky Italian delegate had tried to cop a feel and then there had been the matter of the younger Holmes getting himself into a scrape and her having to pull herself away from her actual duties to save his hide before it got to the point where his brother would need to be informed. She was utterly exhausted and wanted to relax, forget the cares of the world and just ignore anything outside the four walls where she decided to rest her head tonight. Anthea had two options for that: she could go to her own home, settle for a nice glass of wine and a soak in the tub and takeaway, curl up in front of the telly and watch a film and be alone.

Or she could go to _her_ home.

She tapped her fingernail on her mobile for a moment before pulling up the contact she had for The Woman. She tapped in the quick message she would send to signify she wanted to meet: _Dreadful day, darling. Cheer me up?_ and waited to see what the response was.

It came quickly. _Of course. Come round. I’m all yours tonight._

Anthea smiled to herself as she stowed her mobile into her handbag. Good. That meant Kate would be gone and it would be just the two of them all night long. That was just what she needed. She made her way out of Mycroft’s office and away from where she normally met with her driver. They had an agreement; if she was not there at 6 PM sharp and she had not arranged something otherwise he was to wait ten minutes and then leave. She would find another way home. She knew he would wait the ten minutes and then go home to his family while she got in a cab and made her way to Irene’s spacious home that way. She was fairly sure Mycroft knew about her liaison with the dominatrix, though he wasn’t privy to the details and he never would be if she could help it. She got into a waiting cab minutes later, gave the driver the address she needed to be taken to and then was off.

She and Irene Adler had a very interesting relationship. It _was_ a relationship, that much was certain; it was just very open. They were allowed to be with other people, if they so chose, of both sexes. They didn’t meet often, just a few times a month, but the times they were together never really seemed to be about sex; they both got enough of that elsewhere. What they got from each other was companionship, intimacy…Anthea would daresay even perhaps love, in its own way. 

She knew what Irene did, how she collected her power, how she made her way in the world. She wasn’t stupid, after all; if she had been she never would have made her way in the British government to the position she was in. But Irene never took anything from Anthea that could be used as blackmail at a later date, and Anthea turned a blind eye towards Irene doing it to other people. It worked well between them and so long as that line was never crossed Anthea thought they could be well and truly happy with each other and their arrangement.

It didn’t take long to get to Irene’s home. Anthea paid the driver and got out, making her way up the steps to the door. She knew it would be unlocked and so she let herself in, locking the door behind her. She could smell scented candles had been lit, apple and cinnamon and vanilla ones. She made her way to Irene’s sitting room and saw Irene there, a bottle of wine and two glasses sitting next to her on the table. “You only bring out those candles when I come over, don’t you?” she asked.

“And when I want to think of you,” Irene said. Anthea came over and sat next to her on the sofa and kissed her softly. It was always wonderful to kiss her, she thought to herself. When they pulled apart, almost reluctantly, Irene picked up the bottle of wine and poured them each a glass, handing one to her. “Long day?”

“Very long,” she said, taking the glass. “Grabby handed diplomats and trouble with Sherlock.”

“He always did seem to be a handful,” Irene said sympathetically. “Did you break the grabby handed diplomat’s hand, at least?”

“No,” Anthea said, taking a sip from her glass. “Just two fingers.”

“You’re slipping,” Irene teased.

“My grip was off.” She looked over at Irene. “What were you thinking of whipping up for us tonight?”

“I was thinking we could have takeaway,” she said with a smile. “Slip into something more comfortable and lounge in front of the telly and watch some sappy film and mock the romantic clichés.”

“Mmm, that does sound like a very nice evening,” Anthea said with a smile. “Almost like the plans I had considered, except there was a long soak in the tub involved as well.”

“Well, mine is large enough for two,” Irene said, placing a hand on Anthea’s thigh. “And I do suppose I could indulge in using the bath oils from France tonight. Perhaps after you’ve soaked enough I could work some of the tension out of your shoulders.”

“Only if I can return the favor,” she replied.

“So dinner and film, then the bath, then massages, and then perhaps a passionate interlude, if we’re so inclined?” Irene asked, tilting her head.

“I think that would be a lovely way to spend an evening,” Anthea said, watching Irene’s hand edge the bottom of her skirt. “Though I may be up for changing the order around a bit.”

“I may be up for that too,” she replied warmly, giving Anthea a seductive grin. Anthea grinned back, glad she had made the decision to come over this evening. Whatever the evening held, so long as she woke up in Irene’s arms the next morning she would be content with whatever they did.


End file.
